What Exactly is Good Nutrition?
Secretly we all want just a few things in life — none the least of which is to live a life that is healthy and energetic. One way to accomplish this is to eat a well balanced diet that fuels the body to take on life's challenges.
Magnesium 101
Magnesium is an important mineral that serves numerous essential functions in the body. For a normal life and health, sufficient amount of magnesium must be taken and maintained by the human body daily.
Ginger for an Upset Stomach
The common ginger root used in cooking has been found to alleviate nausea, indigestion and motion sickness. For motion sickness, ginger is more effective than the common Dramamine, says the British medical journal Lancet.
Cranberries Show Their Strength
When is the last time you ate cranberries? Was it with a turkey dinner? With all the research pointing to the amazing health benefits of this simple berry, shouldn't cranberries be more than a once-a-year side dish?
Why Has Yoga Become So Popular?
Did you know that over 15 million people practiced yoga in 2003, according to a landmark study by Yoga Journal magazine? And the numbers are expected to increase dramatically in subsequent years.
Home Remedy for Coughs
Here are two of my favorites (excerpted from my book, Gentle Healing for Baby and Child ... A Parent's Guide). The first is prepared and consumed right away, while the second may be prepared and stored in your refrigerator all winter long.
Candida: Restoring Balance with Ayurveda
Candida albicans is a yeast-like fungus that lives in the mouth and throat, the intestinal tract and the genital tract. Normally, the population of candida is in healthy balance with other intestinal flora. However, sometimes its population explodes because of various factors such as an improper diet, bursts of intense stress or ongoing low-grade stress that isn't managed effectively combined with poor sleep/exercise routines or antibiotics or oral contraceptives.
10 Smart Reasons to Use Fish Oil
We are in the grip of an omega-3 fish oil wave. Every day, more studies are published showing just how important this nutrient is to us. Last week, it was children with concentration problems; this week, it is children with autism.
The Dangers of Artificial Sweeteners
Back to school time often means thinking about what to put in your child’s lunchbox. If you’re like most parents, you’re probably concerned about the increasing rate of childhood diabetes and obesity.
Homeopathy and Toxic Exposure
As I have taken steps to live a more natural lifestyle, I have found that industrial waste is not limited to the Hollywood-sized vat. Toxins can be found everywhere (just what your favorite paranoiac wants to hear). Pesticides, vaccines, and even terrorist tactics involve toxins that — well, hey, they won’t make your face melt off, but they do pose a myriad of threats to our health.
Building a Regular Yoga Practice
People come to yoga looking for various things: peace of mind, stress reduction, improved concentration and weight loss. Yoga can help you to accomplish all of this, but "yoga works, if you work!" You have to do the practices on a regular basis in order to get the results.
Win The War Naturally Against High Cholesterol
When the word "cholesterol" comes to mind some of us may think of it as deadly. The truth about cholesterol is that it isn't deadly at all. It's a vital substance. Cholesterol is actually a very important part of our bodies, because it's used to form cell membranes and is needed for other functions in our bodies.
Be Your Own Herbal Expert: Part 5
Herbal medicine is the medicine of the people. It is simple, safe, effective and free. Our ancestors used —and our neighbors around the world still use — plant medicines for healing and health maintenance. It's easy.
Be Your Own Herbal Expert: Part 6
Herbal medicine is the medicine of the people. It is simple, safe, effective and free. Our ancestors used —and our neighbors around the world still use — plant medicines for healing and health maintenance. It's easy.
Cope with Poison Ivy
Poison ivy, western poison oak and poison sumac all have an oil in their leaves, vines and roots called urushiol. The oil is released when the plant is bruised. The oil is still active even in dead plants. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 85 percent of people are sensitive to the oil. Usually within 15 minutes of contact, the urushiol binds to skin proteins.
Fresh Ways to Have Fun Outside
Are you looking for fresh ways to spend time with your friends and family? Outdoor activities getting a little boring, are they? With your fast-paced life gaining speed all the time, it’s easy to stick to what’s familiar — but is that any way to live? Let’s take a few minutes and look at how easy it is to break out of the same-ole-routine and into the new with wholesome activities near home and out of doors. Read on to see why it’s tough to beat having fun with friends and family outdoors in the fresh air.
Ease Those Bug Bites with Easy Herbs
Summertime means insect bites and stings. Ouch! Take a leaf from Susun S. Weed's storehouse of natural remedies: Soothe, heal and prevent bites with safe herbal remedies that grow right where you live: north or south, east or west, city or country. The best natural remedies for insect bites are right underfoot.
Breathe Cleaner Air in Your Home
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concludes that indoor air quality is one of the top five environmental health risks in the United States today. They say indoor levels of pollutants can be two to five times as high as outdoor levels and sometimes more. Some problems of indoor pollution can be traced to energy efficiency, according to the Texas Institute for the Indoor Environment at the University of Texas. A tighter home is good for conserving energy but bad in terms of air pollution.
Natural Bug Repellant
I absolutely dread all the chemicals involved in commercial bug sprays, but I can’t seem to find any natural remedies that work. Is there anything tried and true? Bugs! Do I respect them as part of Nature’s miraculous design? Yes. Do I like them? Not really.
Hobbies and Crafting: Not Frivolous at All!
Are you looking for stress relief? No drugs, no meditation? Have you ever thought about taking up a craft? In fact, doing a craft is a prescription for good health. And more importantly, you do not need to be good at the craft to benefit. Imagine feeling more relaxed. See yourself smiling, pleased with your efforts. All this can be yours, once you start enjoying a hobby. A craft can be any hand-made project that you take pleasure in doing — it could be painting, needle work, knitting, home decoration, woodwork.
Vitamin E: Not Quite A Magical Cure
To begin, it is an antioxidant. It tames dangerous free radicals and helps prevent blood clots and blockages in coronary arteries. Research points to its ability to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart attacks and some cancers. Vitamin E is also believed to slow the aging process and to help nerve conduction. Most importantly, it works to enhance and even protect vitamin C and Vitamin A. There is also promising research that vitamin E might help prevent or slow the onset of cataracts in the eyes.
The 21st Century: The Age of Plastic
Plastic has seeped into nearly every aspect of modern life. It's molded into our computers, phones, wires, pens, carpets, flooring, window blinds, water pipes, shower curtains, kitchen gadgets, credit cards, cars, planes and even our clothes. The inventory seems endless. We define ourselves as the Information Age. But archeologists uncovering our mounds of rubble might better label us the Plastic Age. Many of us have a love-hate relationship with plastic. On one hand, we're addicted to the affordable and unbreakable luxuries that plastic offers. Tupperware® alone transformed the face of leftovers by offering the busy housewife an idiot-proof, child-proof alternative to glass and ceramic. Now we can do things in a jiffy — we can even be mindless in our tasks without reprimand from a broken glass.
7 Ways to Soothe Your Allergies
Spring is here, and allergy sufferers everywhere are tearing up. The warmer weather invites us to spend more time outdoors but the red eyes, itchy noses and nasal congestion make outdoor fun a challenge. Check with your health care provider to see if any of these supplements can help ease those uncomfortable symptoms and to make sure they are safe in your particular situation.
Local Honey: Can It Alleviate Allergies?
As one who makes his living by writing about allergies and asthma, I am often asked about the potential health benefits of using local honey. Here I am talking about alleviating allergy symptoms, not “curing” allergies, which is far easier said than done. Honey contains bits and pieces of pollen and honey. As an immune system booster, it is quite powerful. In talks and articles and in my books, I advocate using local honey. Frequently I’ll get e-mails from readers who want to know exactly what I mean by local honey, and how “local” should it be. This is what I usually advise.
The Arthritis Sufferer’s Diet
Arthritis affects more than 40 million Americans and is referred to as the most common chronic disease in people over 40. Doctors believe there are over 100 different forms of arthritis, all sharing one main characteristic: they all cause joint inflammation. What can you do to relieve the symptoms of arthritis? A lot. There is a great deal of debate in the medical world about the effects of overall diet on arthritis and using diet toward alleviating the condition.
Why You Should Go No ‘Poo
Almost three months ago, I was introduced to the idea of no longer using shampoo. I was intrigued. After looking into it somewhat, I figured I didn’t have anything to lose. So I picked up some baking soda and apple cider vinegar and then took the plunge. I love the results! There was an adjustment period where I had to play around with the measurements a bit but I finally got the hang of it. I have straight-as-a-board, baby-fine hair that has never held a “do.” After “no ‘poo,” I don’t even have to use styling products. I just blow dry and go; my hair now keeps any style. It’s awesome!
Immune A-Go-Go Soup
Good enough for dinner any night, this soup is of special benefit for those in the midst of chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Variations on this soup are a regular part of my anti-cancer lifestyle.
Ear Infections and Homeopathy
When my first boy had an ear infection when he was a baby, I was able to figure it out by paying close attention to him. No, he didn't really tug on his ear; he more or less flapped it with his hand, a lot like a hound dog scratching his ear. But Joey developed a sudden breast preference and was using the definitive "pain" cry at night.
I’ve heard that when using homeopathic remedies, my symptoms will get worse before they get better. Why is that a good thing? What's the point? First, may I point out that while your symptoms do worsen with the correct remedy, in the end, you actually feel better. You gain mental clarity. I know I get all foggy when I'm sick, so the mental clarity helps brighten my outlook.
Yoga for Kids and Parents
“Baby yoga! Baby yoga!” This is my daughter’s chant any time she reaches over to place her hands in front of her toes, in essence doing the toddler version of downward facing dog. I fantasized about doing yoga with my children before becoming pregnant, but I never pictured it like this.
Sage: More Than Poultry Stuffing!
The wise gardener who planted salvia officinalis has an abundance of sage for valuable medicinal use. Prepared as an infusion (1 teaspoon of the herb steeped 15 to 30 minutes in a covered cup of boiled water), sage has a multitude of applications.
The Holistic Handbook of Sauna Therapy
Holistic healing has come out of the closet over the years with an approach to integrative medicine that combines the best of traditional healing and western medicine. Regardless of whether you practice both traditional medicine and holistic medicine or only one, holistic concepts are becoming more respected and recognized. The truth is, we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the holistic medicine our ancestors once used, so it makes sense that we infuse their expertise into our lives today.
Breathe to Stop Pain and Relieve Stress
Do you ever stop and think what an amazing thing our breath is? Probably not. Most of us never give it a thought. It is something we take for granted. Rarely do we stop and think about how it, along with our souls, is our life force and without it we would not be alive.
The Health Benefits of Chocolate
Good news: Research says you can have your cake and eat it, too — as long as that cake is chocolate. For centuries, chocolate has been used to treat diseases and maladies such as depression. Civilizations from Mexico to Europe have hailed chocolate as an aphrodisiac. The U.S. government officially recognized its virtues in World War II, making the chocolate candy bar standard issue for the military.
Natural Care for Varicose Veins
Our circulatory system is made up of a complex web of arteries and veins. Our arteries carry oxygen rich blood to the cells of our bodies, while the veins are designed to pump oxygen-poor blood back to the heart. This is accomplished through a series of one-way valves that do not allow blood to flow backwards into the vein.
10 Ways to Cut Cholesterol Naturally
When most people think of cholesterol, they think of the waxy fat-like substance that is found in many of the foods we eat. Although cholesterol is often feared, the truth is that your body needs cholesterol for a number of different things. For example, it is used in the manufacture and maintenance of strong cell walls, it is critical for hormone and vitamin D production and it even is used to coat the nerve cells in the body.
Enough Calcium Without Cow’s Milk??
Now that your child is done with breastfeeding or bottles, how can you make sure she’s getting all the nutrients she needs? We know that children need calcium to build strong bones. Cow’s milk is a good source of calcium and a natural choice for many parents. But can your child get the same amount of calcium without cow’s milk? The answer is a resounding yes, as long as you know what to look for.
10 Quick Tips to Save the Planet and Your Health
Many of the common, everyday chemicals in your home can contribute to not only harming the environment but your health as well. Symptoms such as headaches, gastrointestinal disturbances, anxiety, depression, nervousness, fatigue, irritability, inability to concentrate, hyperactivity, joint and muscle pain and many more can be the result of these chemicals.
Eating to Cure Your Eczema
But while it’s true that food allergies can trigger eczema flare-ups, eliminating allergenic foods doesn’t address the root of the problem.
The ABCs of Treating Your Kid’s Excema
Eczema is a common, recurring skin condition characterized by a dry, flaky, itchy rash, which can affect different parts of the body. Its appearance may vary depending on its severity and topical location. Another commonly used term for this condition is atopic dermatitis.
Let the Sun Shine
Tired of spending your entire summer in the shadows? Some scientists are now saying that a moderate amount of sunshine is good for you, and shunning it altogether could actually increase your risk of cancer.
I have three children, and it seems like someone is always sick at our house.
Is there any thing I can do nutritionally to help keep my family healthy and illness-free?
Now We Need to Supplement with Vitamin D?!?
In April of 2003, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued new guidelines for preventing rickets and vitamin D deficiency in children. Because cases of rickets continue to be reported, the AAP recommends that all children receive a vitamin supplement containing 200 IU of vitamin D daily, unless they drink at least 17 ounces of either vitamin D-fortified milk or infant formula.
Avoiding Bladder Infections
Most of us are not used to thinking about our body's maintenance beyond eating three square meals a day, getting proper exercise and drinking bottled water. But as we age, bladder health becomes more important, especially for women. So much can happen, between childbirth and infections, that a woman needs to know how to take care of herself.
Sleep
Are You Getting Enough Sleep?
Ayurvedic Tips for Restful Sleep
Sleep Tips for Teens
Exercise
How Do I find a qualified yoga teacher?
Exercise Made Simple: My "Golden" Gym
Get Moving! Don’t Put Off That Workout
Meditation on the Move
Internal Cleansing
Internal Spring: Out With the Old, In With the New!
Sweep Your Colon Clean: An Herbal Intestinal Broom
Ayurvedic Internal Cleansing for Good Health
